StarHub Issues Update on Fibre Broadband Service Status

StarHub just issued a statement to update on the status of its fibre broadband service.

As of 7PM, more than 400 customers in Bukit Panjang, Choa Chu Kang and Woodlands are still facing problems with their fibre broadband connections. As at 2.30pm on 10 October, all cable TV, cable broadband and digital voice services for affected customers were fully restored.

The telco states that it is working with OpenNet and SingTel to ensure full service restoration as soon as possible. In the meantime, StarHub is offering cable modems to affected customers.

Engineers from Nucleus Connect, were at OpenNet's Bukit Panjang Central Office on 11 October 2013 to perform a joint investigation with OpenNet, where they found some faulty components which OpenNet subsequently replaced.

As this OpenNet Central Office is located within SingTel’s Internet Exchange facility in Bukit Panjang, StarHub's cable (TV, broadband, digital voice) and fibre broadband services were disrupted as a result of the fire on 9 October 2013.

Here are some background information we have found on Nucleus Connect and OpenNet that you may find useful. Nucleus Connect is a StarHub wholly-owned subsidiary and the selected Operating Company (OpCo) of the Next Generation Nationwide Broadband Network (NGNBN).

Nucleus Connect designs, builds and operates the active infrastructure of the NGNBN. It also ensures that the prices for its services remain competitive, transparent and non-discriminatory for Retail Service Providers (RSPs) such as M1, SingTel, StarHub, MyRepublic and ViewQwest.

OpenNet is a private entity which was led by Axia NetMedia Corporation, and included Singapore Telecommunications Ltd (SingTel), Singapore Press Holdings Ltd and SP Telecommunications Pte Ltd. As the selected Network Company (NetCo), OpenNet designs, builds and operates the passive infrastructure of the network.

As stated on IDA website, OpenNet will own and deploy all the fibre optic cables, and offer wholesale dark fibre services to qualifying operators on a non-discriminatory basis. It also utilizes relevant and existing underlying passive infrastructure assets, such as ducts, manholes and exchanges that belong to its partner, SingTel, to faciliate the deployment of the fibre network.

This explains why the fire at SingTel's Bukit Panjang Exchange not only caused disruption to the telco's services, it also affected the services of other RSPs.